I'm currently building a small decorative storage cabinet out of solid maple. It has a pair of slab doors, each 12 3/4" wide and made from two edge-glued 3/4" thick maple boards.
I've decided on an approach for adding battens to try to keep these doors flat, and I wanted to hear your thoughts about it. (And I know, veneered MDF or plywood would be more stable, but I didnt go that route. If the solid doors are a failure, I'll have to remake them.)
I've done some research on battens, and it sounds like some people use a pair of hardwood battens (quartersawn, I assume). Some people just screw them to the backs of the doors, and others use sliding dovetails (which has the benefit of reducing the battens' encroachment into the cavity depth.)
I don't have any QS oak or hickory (or other hard species) on hand, and I don't feel like driving an hour to search for some. Plus, I've had more router mistakes lately than I'd prefer, and I don't want to deal with the sliding dovetails. So this is what I came up with...
I'm going to mount four pieces of T-track horizontally across each door, spaced evenly vertically. I'll use horizontally elongated screw holes to mount the track, making sure to securely tighten just one screw (the one closest to the hinge side) per track. I'm hoping that the T-track is as resistant to bending as hardwood battens (particularly given than I'm using four per door).
Of course, exposed T-track on the back of the doors would be incredibly ugly, so I plan to wrap it with a thin maple cover (say 1/8" thick, or possibly even veneer). This will keep the battens reasonably narrow and flat (maximum projection of 1/2" into the cabinet). I haven't decided how to affix the covers, but I'm not worried about that
The battens on the back still won't be pretty, but that will be an acceptable compromise if they keep the doors flat.
Any thoughts? Is this a dumb ideal, or do you think it could work?
Well, you could then use the T track to hold adjustable baskets for the small stuff.
Actually I fond those T track segments to be rather flimsy and being embedded, I think you'll actually be worse off versus just leaving things as-is.
With reduced back-presence in mind I think some 1/8" thick x 1/2" steel angle would give you a much stiffer 0-clearance option (wide side on the surface, adjacent edge in a 1/8" kerf in the slab.
I have some 3/4" wide x 3/8" thick steel miter bar I'm saving for TS jigs that would be far stiffer that the T track if you do go that route.
I had wondered about steel angle. My worry there was, and is, how much a 3/8” deep kerf in the slab would affect the door’s strength in the vertical plane. The door would only be 1/4” thick under. The kerf (and I’m going to be doing some shallow inlay on the face which will make it even thinner in spots).
I hadn’t considered steel miter bars. The nice thing there (beyond the stiffness you mentioned) is that it’s interchangeable with the T-track. (I haven’t done much with steel. My only real experience with it was with 6-foot long 1” x 1/8” bars, and that stuff flexed a lot. I mounted it on a wall to hold photos with magnets, so the flex was a non-issue. I guess 3/8” thick bar is a totally different animal, especially given how short it is.)
I’m not following your “embedded track being worse than nothing” comment. Are you saying that the screws holding the track to the door backs would loosen, making the track ineffective (and that, being covered, there’d be no way to snug them down)? Or are you saying the track is not stiff enough to have any benefit at all?
Both! The aluminum T doesn't present much structure against bending and the wood being removed to make room probably has more stiffness to offer that the Aluminum. And yes, really no meat left for the screws to grab into.
Most of the big box HW places ave a small area with metals. You could probably find some 3/8" bar stock to give the bendy test.
Ron, I can't speak to what you have considered doing because I've never used, or purchased, T-track - not familiar with its properties. I can only tell what I have done prior, found it to be successful without any problems arising. First, since your doors are not frame and panel, I would suggest you do indeed add some form of anti-cupping support. I have done this on my projects when no frame was used, and again - no problems have ever come up. In truth, I have also used the following method on large panels in frame & panel applications as well. My method is to use 3/4" by 3/4" battens, typically with the same wood used for the door, screwed through elongated holes one each end and one screw in the middle. Per the dimensions you provided, I would only use two battens, each installed about one quarter of the door height, from top and bottom. I would assume you are going to finish the doors inside and out, so doing this should also help in keeping the door flat, as moisture into the door is eliminated. I trim the battens, usually chamfering all around, for a more finished look. That's about it for my thoughts, but again, you should do what makes you comfortable. I'll be looking for this project post to see what you incorporate into your solution. Any questions are welcome, Tom
PS: Don't forget, the big box stores sell small pieces of various hardwoods if needed.
Splint, I’m still confused. My original plan doesn’t call for the removal of any wood from the doors. The T-track would be surface mounted with closely-spaced screws (maybe up to 5/8” long). Then a cosmetic cover would hide the track. (My rendering, which uses SU’s X-ray display mode, makes that hard to see.) But I take your point that a solid steel bar will be stronger than the track. I was just thinking that the squarish structure of the track would stiffen it sufficiently.
Oldtool, thanks for your feedback too. I didn’t realize that such small (3/4” cross section) battens would work. That’s good to know. I’m pretty certain that the T-track remnants I have are stiffer than a 3/4” square cutoff (from a rip) of the maple I’m using. Lowe’s and Home Depot in my area sell pine, poplar, and red oak (or did the last time I looked). I guess the oak would work.
i think it will work fine. i mean there only about 13" wide so you shouldn't have an issue. but i dont know how much variation in temps and humidity you have ?
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
Yeah, if you are planning to just add the battens on the surface, I'd start with wood and go from there depending on the results. I had thought you were intending to keep everything flush (my bad 🤠) With the same finish on each side, moisture penetration will be equalized. Quarter sawn wood will react most evenly (less warping)
The doors (not yet sanded or finished) are flat, but leaving them as-is is not an option. To answer Pottz about the weather, in the two weeks since I started the shop (garage) work, temps have varied from 30 to 80 degrees, and humidity from 50% to 90%. The doors have stayed flat because I’ve been keeping them sandwiched between other panels when I not actively working on them. They will cup if I leave them alone (and I will finish both sides evenly).
It sounds like wood battens are the closest to a consensus opinion here. I may go that route, but I’m leaning toward the original plan, mainly because I’m curious about it.
Have you measured the moisture content of the pieces? Unless they are below 15% (10 would be better), you may never be able to keep them flat, especially since you say that they will cup if you do not keep both sides covered. A finish will not prevent future cupping if they are not stable to begin with. Personally I would uncover and either stack and sticker them or lean them against a wall indoors so air can flow around both sides where they will live and let them acclimate for a month or two to see how they move and measure the MC periodically to see how it changes. If the MC is high when you build, you may find that they will shrink a little too, on top of warping, which may also create a gap later on as well.
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
Not sure of the t-track, but could you "fill" with wood (rather than only cover)? Sort of a combination of t track and wood batten. (Of course, I really don't know much about this...just throwing out a random thought)
I’m sorry for the slow reply. I thought I had replied last night, but I must have failed to tap the Submit button.
Lazyman, the lumberyard kiln dries the lumber to 7-8%, but their stacks are in a non-climate controlled metal building, and I don’t know how the moisture content changes there. And who knows how it changes in the garage. It sounds like I need to buy a moisture meter. Do you have any recommendations for a good one that won’t break the bank?
Barb, I had wondered about sliding a thin piece of wood inside the track as a way to attach the cover in a removable way. I hadn’t thought about using it to strengthen the track. I suppose every bit helps, so I will think about this more. Maybe I can use a metal miter bar (the kind designed to slide inside T-track).
I have a cheap pinned Dr Meter meter I bought on Amazon that gives good enough results for my purposes. I have done a basic calibration by drying green wood in the microwave and calculating the MC until it no longer loses weight and it is actually pretty accurate for being so cheap. You can probably spend a little more and get something a little more accurate but is good enough just to get a ballpark number.
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
